'Tis good to be the King, Speed King that is...

Friday morning while I was at the shop picking up my centerlock adapter, MOAB Mark mentioned he'd be camping and getting an evening ride in at Chickasaw. He had to be there early to set up his MOAB trailer and with the long drive, it was the easiest option for him. Saturday came and rain was predicted, though it didn't rain in Franklin until I was 20 minutes into the drive to the course. I couldn't let Mark camp all by his lonely, so I told 8-ball Mike and he couldn't let me and Mark camp alone, and it rolled down the line. The rain didn't let up, lightening started, and the course and parking lots were flooded. We settled in, set up awnings outside the MOAB trailer and cracked some brew and dug into Mark's spicy cheese&sausage tray. Sharpie came out with a keg of Sly Rye Porter from the sponsor and pop corn. H. came out for a bit to hang out and brought us pizza. Around 11PM the skies cleared up a bit and the rain let off.

Morning came and I considered changing from 34x17 to 34x18 to better gear for the muddy and slick conditions, but that sounded like too much effort. Besides I hate to mess with perfection and the bike was feeling dialed Friday. If I touched it now I'd only be plagued with mechanicals, so I left it and just mentally prepared for the fruits of my stupid decision. We moved camp to the top of the start line and Sharp cooked up eggs. We helped set up the Swiftwick booth and got about our rituals. I picked out the weapons of choice: one red and one white OTC compression sock, I am truly a fashion icon. Then Mike, OldGreg, and I went for a spin. We rode a few miles down the road to try to wake the legs up, ended up over heating, removed several layers, and then went to hang out before the race.

Going into the race I had my money on Meanjoe (aka Adam). He has amazing handling skills and is starting to get some speed and confidence. He and Jeff have partaken in the J5 Training Plan this year. Race all 3 snakes, grind gravel, drink beer. I must say they are star pupils. Pump Track Jim is also always a darkhorse on fast lap races, great handling skill, speed, and lactic endurance built up from his pump track training. A pro from Texas was toeing the line, which had several people all jacked up about it. I found it funny. Why would someone drive from so far to race a bunch of local yocals that don't really care about anything except having fun? Expert class, well they care, SS class, we're mostly out for shenanigans.

Given the conditions I was prepared to eat a lot of mud, be half blind from splatter, and hug a few trees. SS has 26 racers, one of the biggest classes turning out for the muddy wet day. The horn goes and we all go splashing our way down the lane. I'd started in the 2nd of 3 rows as I'm never one to blow off the line, I prefer to warm up slowly. We take off, I'm mid pack, down the gravel road, sharp left turn, then back up the pavement before the dropping into the chute. I made my way up past all the drafting boys, giving my teammates little pushes now and then to get them going. I came up to Adam D. and gave him a nudge, he asked if I wanted the chute first, I say nah, and gave him some room. I look to my left and see Gary Collins (a HAMMER) rolling up with the notorious stans leak sound "sssfwft, sssfwt, sssfwt" I let him in, give him plenty of room fearing his front would roll off on the steep mucky downhill, then plunged in. I had Adam D. some CCC kid (Cory), a full sup, locked out gearie Wood-N-Waver, and Gary the Hammer in front of me and a pack of hungry wolves behind me. Gary's wheel finally went out and he slid down in front of me, I called out to make sure he was ok and he hollered back "

I'm good go go!" I made chase to catch Adam D. I had the gearie dude inbetween us, up the slick techy rock climb he fell, I made a move up and to the right, then he fell in my path trying to stand up in the slick muddy rocks, I dismounted and ran it like cross, hopped onto Adam's wheel and we made chase to catch the CCC dude. Adam D. got around the CCC kid and I was on their wheel as we made our way around the slick, slimy river trail. Adam D. offered to let us pass, but I yelled up to just pick it up a notch to hold back the swarming pack until the field where it would be safer (given the conditions) to pass. Once there I opened it up and didn't look back. CCC Corey came with me and I tried to gap him every hill. Eventually he popped in the Trail of Tears and I had a comfortable gap. The race wheels and the Speed King tires were hooking up like crazy in the conditions, shedding mud like dog fur and I hammered on.

Starting the second lap I had about a 2 minute gap on the pack and I was starting to get nervous. I had no gauge of speed. Am I slowing down? Am I going to hard? Dammit I hate being the rabbit!! Lap two had completely changed the course. It was still really muddy, but it was a bit drier mud and it wasn't shedding near as well. The tires weren't hooking up as nicely as they were before and I had some near calls. I tried to just stay steady and keep it upright. Then I caught site of Meanjoe. He was coming. He'd been trapped in the pack and I'd really hoped he'd stay there but the little bastard made it through on his 29" Monkey. I held him off for th

e next 4 miles but he was closing the gap. He finally caught me at the base of Rick Harmon's trail. I'd kick it on every hill to try to regap and wear him down, but he'd yo-yo back up. I crossed a small wooden plank bridge and had the bike come out from underneath me and I hit the deck hard. I got up and back on with Meanjoe on my heals asking if I was ok. I decided to just ride steady and finish and told MJ to pass if he wanted, he was content to ride with me as he said he really didn't have anything left after working so hard to catch me (he closed down a 2 minute gap!) and we rode together chatting the last mile and a half agreeing to just sprint it out. Out of the woods and up the hill and I took off with all I had, MJ hot on my heals. I expected him to come flying around any second, but I was able to hold him off. Yazoo Brew Racing took 1 & 2.

Congrats to all of the crew. Not everyone had a great race, but I think everyone had a great time. I tend to excel in the adverse conditions (mostly because I find them to be the most fun) and regularly get my butt handed to me in perfect conditions. Guess you could say I'm a mudder (Some might say I'm a mudder fu**er). So Mikey and JasonG, don't sweat the small stuff. OldGreg, PTJim, Jeff thanks for coming out and playing in the mud. MJ - dude you are killing it, hopefully now you'll have a bit more confidence in yourself and you'll attack sooner. Oh, and I won't use my Jedi powers to give you leg cramps anymore. Sharpie, you F-N-rock! Thanks for coming out to support us and cooking for us and bringing the beer. Yazoo ladies, thank you for all the cheering, photos, and fun. Derf, though I never saw you on the hill I heard you each time, thanks for the cheers. Hennessey - thanks for not tackling me on the start of lap 2. Mark it was a blast too hang out but what the exactly are you doing in this photo?

Adam D and I have been racing in the same class now for about 3 years. We typically have a standing bet on each race we do, the first time was for a dollar bill in his spokes (he barely nipped me at the finish that year), the next was for a butterfly spokey dokey at a cross race (I got that one) and this one was the loser had to give their number plate with a special hand written note on the back to a victor.

I'm really proud of MJ and I really think he should have won it, but he says he had nothing left. Either way it was a great race that was fun from start to finish, but I'm most proud of the fact that I got the fastest lap time of the entire 2 lap classes. To that I credit my Hodge wheels, the speed kings.

Some more photos from the race:

SS start, Adam D. flying off the front